1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the service of food and beverages. In particular, it relates to trays upon which to deliver such items. It further relates to serving trays which can be deployed quickly and returned to storage quickly. More particularly, the invention relates to a sturdy serving tray capable of being reusably folded into a small manageable size that fits into a pocket or holster and then reversibly deployed into a rigid tray which can carry a plurality of, e.g., beverage containers. The invention further relates to a multi-folding mechanism that enables an assembly to be both flexible and stiff in its desired modes of use.
2. Background of the Invention
Serving trays have been used since time out of mind in food and beverage service to assist the server in the efficient delivery of food and beverages and removal of waste. Traditional trays are too large to carry in a pocket or apron and are difficult to store when servers need to write or use their hands in serving. The server needs a firm surface large enough to handle multiple items and then needs to be able to store the tray when not in use but still have the tray handy for future use.
Existing stiff trays are made in a variety of sizes and are generally easily stacked. They exhibit good stiffness in serving but not easy storing and carrying. Existing folding trays made of paper and cardboard exhibit good storage properties at minimum expense but do not prove sturdy enough in service or provide stiff enough service surfaces, especially for repeated use.